Post by tapir on Jun 11, 2018 20:10:38 GMT -5

The drifting lushness of the Tenebrae Forest overwhelmed the eyes at first, especially after weeks of taking treks through the Corridors farther and longer then was really wise. Islets unmoored from gravity drifted upon rainforest mist, huge masses of sodden flowering verdancy and even marble castles held up only by vaporous tendrils. Clamorous flights of tropical birds darted and thronged among deep emerald groves and atop lichen chocked ramparts. The greenery claimed everything here in nature’s gentle time, and it seemed the masons had reconciled themselves to this inevitability. Manors, totem-esque shrines, and elegant chateaus nestled in the gliding hills all possessed apertures and absences for the creeping growth to fill. Manmade beauty was carefully crafted to yield gracefully to the forest’s advance, being enhanced rather then overcome by vines and mosses that gathered the mist’s ambient moisture into moist trickles and waterfalls that emptied into the unseen depths of the forest floor. Watching those aviating towers sail overhead, wearing efflorescent flora like crowning laurels upon their spires, Roxas could honestly say he hadn’t seen anything like it.

He looked down at the pictures still held in his hands. Two young women, blonde haired, blue eyed, strikingly beautiful in a way that really stayed with you, and both possessing powers poorly understood by those around them. Naminé and the Lady Nox Fleauret were certainly similar, eerily enough so that Roxas had detoured from his and Kairi’s current route in order to follow up on this long-shot. Admittedly, he probably should’ve told Kairi before jetting off, but Roxas really didn’t like the idea of taking a Princes of Heart into a world he knew almost nothing about. He would say the stealthy side-trek was to save time and ‘knowing better,’ but honestly Kairi had an unsettling tendency of getting him see her side in the end regardless of how Roxas approached a conversation. It wasn’t bad exactly, even kind of nice sometimes, but not what was needed right now…

Was that his rational brain talking there, or Sora’s protective sentiment leaking through the Heart they shared? Guess it didn’t matter. It'd all turned out to be a bust anyway.

Roxas sighed, leaning on on the manor's balcony, tired cerulean eyes watching the foggy forest meander in the mist. Whole fields of brilliant azure stylleblossom’s adorned levitating hearths, attended like royalty by luminous pollinating insects darting through the canopy’s striation’s of dappled shadows. One look-a-like Oracle found, but no Naminé. Still if you had to bust on a search somewhere, Eos turn out not be so…

The boy’s thoughts paused at the faint sound of footsteps, a prickle on the back of his neck bidding Roxas to over his shoulder.

Post by Larxene on Jul 27, 2018 12:04:39 GMT -5

It was certainly a good idea not to drag Kairi to this world, especially with the danger that was ready to pounce. It seemed that the nobodies' judgement was correct for once. Ironically, Larxene was on the same trail, looking for both Vexen's somebody and the memory witch. She had gotten information saying that a blonde soft spoken girl in a white dress had been living on this world. Well, if she could make Marly's job easier for her by collect Namine herself, she would. Even if Marly told her that she should focus on Vexen. She just couldn't help herself. That was probably the mistake. Especially when she'd find out that Lunafreya was this woman that was described and not Namine. What were the chances?

Larxene had started to make her way through the forests when she caught a familiar face in her vision. The nymph paused briefly, moving out of sight to make sure that her eyes weren't deceiving her. They were not. It was Roxas, one of the annoying pains in her backside. Though, it had been a while since she'd seen the boy. It wasn't like they were on bad terms per say. Yet, she wasn't his biggest fan seeing as Axel had a particular fancy for the boy. May she could take out her frustrations with Axel out on him to get back at the red head.

But, Marly said not to get involved.

"I can play around a little bit... It's not like he'll find out..." She told herself before deciding to have herself a little bit of fun. The young nymph raised her arm, summoning a small jolt of electricity down from the sky aimed directly at Roxas before teleporting herself to the other end of the balcony, standing on the railing. A gloved hand covering her mouth as she giggled a bit evilly into it. "Well well well. Look what the cat dragged in. Still doing your baby missions, relying solely on that little keyblade? You don't look all that busy to me."

Post by tapir on Aug 14, 2018 16:29:01 GMT -5

Roxas coughed on the smell of ozone and burning hair, staggering back from his close encounter with high voltage. It hadn’t been serious, well y’know, as far as any situation that included the phrase ’hit by a lightning bolt’ could ever be called not that bad. The sky above Tenebrae Forest was clear of thunderheads and the boy was whirling on the culprit when his split-second theories about Yellow Operas were dashed by the confirmation that things just got way more serious.

Roxas stiffened at the familiar voice, feminine and bubbly on the surface but nevertheless possessing a certain perilous lilt that set the fight or flight instincts racing. Roxas’ former co-worker and the first female he ever encountered (man that’d caused an awkward conversation with Axel later) didn’t have an appearance that intimidated at first glance, but you either walked away wiser from the first meeting or not at all. She was about head or so above Roxas’ less then prodigious stature and had a thin graceful frame toped by a flair of slicked back golden hair with two long strands arching back. Larxene’s delicate face and aquamarine eyes might’ve been cherubically innocent if she didn’t so often wear an expression more suited to a cat eagerly watching a mouse-hole.

She was trying to get a rise out of him naturally. That’s just how Larxene rolled, and Roxas would be lying the infantilizing tone didn’t get under his skin. He couldn’t afford to lose his cool though, or being drawn into a fight whose outcome was uncertain in the best case scenario. Kairi was relying on him for World travel, and having things go to hell when he took an off-plan detour would just make it all the worse.

“No uh, I’m just exploring,” Roxas managed unconvincingly, attempting to stow the pictures of Naminé and Lunafreya without drawing attention to the movement. “Y’know,” he attempted with greater casualness, “Seeing new Worlds and such now that we’re unemployed.” “You coulda’ just said hi,” he noted huffily, nodding to the charred spot on the balcony.

Post by Larxene on Aug 15, 2018 7:46:01 GMT -5

It was true that the electricity was not meant to truly injure her current prey. It was also true that it was completely unnecessary. However, that was not the point. It was fun. The explanation was just that simple. Larxene liked to play with her food. The sheer terror and pain in their eyes made it all worth while in the end. That was just the life of a sadist and that was definitely the best word to describe the nymph. A Sadist.

Seeing Roxas tense up at her voice alone was reward enough for her actions. There was just something so satisfying about working up the keybearer. Especially now. Before she needed to be gentler and be careful not to harm him or let him be injured, Xemnas's orders. But, she didn't see him around. The Organization was over and done with. Caput. Now she could have all the fun she wanted, within reason. Marluxia did have her on a shorter leash than she wanted. But, as long as she stayed out of sight of the rest of the organization and didnt harm Vexen's somebody or Namine, then she was as golden as her hair.

Larxene noted the boy's movement, though it was obvious he was trying really hard to be oh so subtle about the attempt to stash the item away. Well, that just wouldn't do! Roxas spoke, attempting to toss her off his scent, explaining that he was exploring, yadda yadda. The nymph simply didn't care. A smirk growing back onto her smug expression at his almost annoyed gesture about the shock. "Hmm. You looked like you needed a wake up call, Roxas. And here I thought you might have missed me. I'm so upset." She feigned a pout, running her bent index finger of her gloved right hand across the bottom eyelid on her right eye. The gesture was as if she was removing tears that might threaten staining her cheek. But, everyone here knew that she didn't cry nor did she care who missed her.

"But, exploring you say? Oh? Well, doesn't that sound so sweet and unconvincing. I'd say you were looking for something. Maybe someone? She inquired, her smirk returning to replace the pout. It was then that she disappeared from her position infront of Roxas to reappear behind him, attempting to snatch the picture from his grasp. Normally when she used her Teleport Rush ability, it was to harm the individual. In this case, she wanted to know what he was so desperately attempting to hide from her. "Now, what do we have here?

Teleport Rush - Larxene will disappear and teleport to her target before lashing out attacks on them. [Cooldown: 3 posts]

Post by tapir on Aug 21, 2018 14:27:29 GMT -5

Roxas cocked his head and gave a crooked lipped expression of bemusement back at Larxene’s pantomime of crocodile tears. Honestly, he and Larxene had never had a problem personally. She’d taught him sorcery, even when it probably felt to her like watching paint dry. Admittedly, he’d been even slower on the uptake back then) Likewise Larxene had ostensibly been dead when everything fell apart, though that really didn’t seem to be slowing anybody down these days. All-in-all he and Larxene should reasonably should be on familiar but neutral terms.

Problem was, Larxene’s version of ‘neutral’ was life-threatening.

Things started to tip sideways when the Savage Nymph put him on notice that she wasn’t buying the lost puppy schtick and immediately discerned that his travels were a search not aimless wandering. Roxas was too caught up in trying to formulate a convincing cover to notice the tell-tale slaughterhouse smirk. In an eyeblink Larxene was behind him with the two pictures while Roxas still vainly fumbled at the empty air.

“Hey those're…!” Trying to keep his nervous heart-rate back under control, Roxas turned to regard his former co-worker and the intricate portraits of the Memory Witch and the High Oracle of Eos. “Weird huh.” The following wane chuckle didn’t properly pull off the ‘what a casual coincidence!’ intention. “They're nearly identical, had me confused so I'm just checking it out.”

Post by Larxene on Sept 10, 2018 9:48:16 GMT -5

Larxene was quite pleased that she'd managed to blindside the young keybearer and collect the items he'd been so hasty to try and hide. The nymph raised them a bit so she could get a better look with the sunlight as she flipped between the two. Of course he was searching for Namine. Maybe it was some sort of side effect from their messing with Sora's memories. But, he could also be doing it at the request of the remaining organization. She had already been told by Marluxia that he'd already come across a few older members. "Oh? Is that so? Just some little curiousity that you wanted to go look into?" She teased.

The nymph slid herself back onto the balcony railing she'd been sitting on originally before tossing the pictures back at Roxas similarly to how she'd toss her kunais. "I don't buy it. Who sent you to find Namine?" She asked far more straight forward than she had so far in their conversation. The woman needed answers and she would get them one way or another.

Marluxia needed the memory witch to get rid of the Xehanort's influence. This was one mission that she did not intend to fail. Larxene's lips pressed together as her eyes narrowed on the thirteenth member, tilting her head a bit to watch his expression and reactions. The wrong answer would get him into a world of trouble. Especially if the boy was going to get in the way of her getting her partner back to normal.

Post by tapir on Sept 25, 2018 7:42:36 GMT -5

Welp ok, Larxene was buying exactly zero percent of the ‘Zombie is confused by blonde girls’ act. Sheesh, you’d think he’d at least be good at acting like a dim(dimmer?)wit right?

In this case the most bewildering answer was the truth.

“Someone in a cloak set me free and said Naminé could get my memories fixed up,” Roxas said frankly. Yup, it sounded even dumber when he actually said it aloud. Man…he should’ve really asked that dude more and better questions. “Vexen’s Riku-experiment told me some weird stuff other day,” the boy ventured a moment later in affectation of idle chatter. “You guys fought some,” sandy brows rose but the tone was not that of a question. The replicant had no reason to lie, heck the guy made Sora and Goofy look like freakin’ Jafar. “..and your’re after Naminé or something.” Pausing a bit to gather his thoughts, and for Larxene to affirm, deny, or zap, according to her whim, Roxas placed both hands behind his head and decided to gamble all he knew in hopes of getting a hint at what the real deal was here. Playing things close to the chest was more Lea’s game. Roxas preferred all cards on the table, come what may. “I guess what I'm wondering is if your doing this solo,” cobalt sought Larxene’s, steely but earnest nevertheless, “or is the sickness in Marluxia getting worse?”

Post by Larxene on Oct 4, 2018 9:10:52 GMT -5

Someone in a cloak sent him to go and collect Namine? However, he didn't seem to know their name or who they were? That seemed extremely unlikely. But the look in the kid's eyes told her that he was being honest with her. Was that really enough? Larxene felt that the boy should have questioned such a mysterious figure before simply walking off to do it's bidding. Maybe she should remind him that he should start paying more attention and get more information up front then just wandering off and doing whatever like his somebody. "So you're telling me that some guy in a cloak you didn't recognize walked up and told you that finding Namine might help you get your memories back? And you didn't think to this person anything?" She asked skeptically.

He changed the subject slightly letting her know that he had run into the Replica and that the being was running his mouth about encountering Larxene. The young nymph's nose wrinkled in frustration at that knowledge. She knew she should have abandoned the castle and gone after to eliminate him! "That damn little clone... running his mouth. I guess I'll need to add him back onto my priority list before he gets loose lipped with anyone else. That goes for you, Roxas. You mention my name to anyone else or that I'm not still six feet under and you'll regret it." Larxene knew that Roxas wouldn't mention it. He always had a certain respect for the people higher up the chain then himself.

That's when he put his head back on the chopping block by speaking up and questioning her motives. Where was this line of questioning when the mysterious figure sent him after Namine in the first place? Her eyes narrowed once more on the nobody as he questioned Marluxia's sickness. How was he privy to such information? Was he part of the Xehanort's as well? "...how do you know about Marluxia's condition." Larxene never was good at keeping things completely under her hood. It was a mistake that she made on occasion. All she did was confirm that she was looking for Namine in order to fix Marluxia and free him from their control.

Post by tapir on Oct 8, 2018 22:18:45 GMT -5

“Nah like,” Roxas’ low tenor protested when his own credulity was questioned. “There wasn’t alot time and I was data or something or maybe …not.” The boy scratched a temple absently, completely out of his depth in his own life-situation. “But..maybe uh…” A broad sheepish grin was a shaky sunbeam across Roxas’ face. “yeah,” he recanted ruefully, “pretty much.”

Larxene didn’t like the clone talk one bit, confirming for Roxas that the replicant’s words had to be true on some level. It still didn’t give him much to go on, but hey it was something. The Savage Nymph made it clear that he’d join Not-Riku as cooked brisket if Roxas started squealing to people. There wasn’t much reason for him to do so, Roxas tried to make it point to keep his former-coworkers and remaining loved ones light-years apart if possible, and there was even less reason to refuse to her face. “Got it,” he affirmed with a nod.

Feeling Larxene’s eyes practically bore holes into him at the mention of Marluxia’s progressing possession, Roxas got several answers at once. He turned and leaned forward with his elbows on the citadel’s railing. Tenebrae’s verdant expanse seemed to stretch on forever, flowers and shadowed depths swaying in the wind like the waves of a green sea.

“I met Marluxia in the Land of Dragons when that Seed was acting up,” Roxas answered simply, well past any need for obfuscation. “I recognized it from when…” there came a moment of hesitation, a memory of pain and forceful parting in tenebrous depths. “The New Organization tried make Sora into a Seeker,” Roxas swallowed at the recollection of that spiritual agony but got to the point nevertheless. “Marluxia was losing himself so I tried to use my power to heal him,” the boy said, his expression slackening a bit as shoulders slumped. Hands drummed restlessly on the marble railing, the admission of defeat a galling fire in the chest of the competitive youth. “It uh, didn’t go so well.”

Post by Lea on Oct 9, 2018 10:43:25 GMT -5

Lea was looking for Roxas. If the last time he’d run into the boy had taught him anything it was that Roxas was just as prone to wandering the worlds as he was. Now that they were free to do so, there was just nothin holding either of them back from it. That tower in Twilight Town was an old habit. They’d resolved to make new memories. That meant new places and new causes. Lea had changed sure. ‘Newness’ was well…’new’ for him. But for Roxas, everything was new all the time. ‘Axel’ had spent a lot of time showing the new kid the ropes but it ended up meaning so much more than that. He really couldn’t explain it, but he knew that Roxas had a lot to do with why he’d woken up, why he was ‘Lea’ and not Axel. He also really couldn’t explain why but he wouldn’t be telling Roxas that because he had a feeling it would upset him.

It took a while for Lea to even catch a breath on the wind of where Roxas might have ended up, and in truth there was a pretty thin chance that the lead was even a solid one. See, running into Repliku had been…concerning to say the least. He’d mentioned Larxene but that toy of Vexen’s was always a little defective from what Lea remembered, but he also seemed concerned for Namine. The mention of her was what kinda hit ‘Lea’ upside the head with a ‘duh’ hammer. Roxas was probably looking for her he’d have bet. It was kinda ingrained in him or something like that, kind of like how no matter how awful Saix got, Axel was never able to let go of the hope that he could turn it around and be the ‘Isa’ Lea always remembered. ‘Hope’ was a concept that ‘Axel’ was able to swallow and that’s when things began to change for him…but Saix ended up left behind in that.

Anyway, it occurred to Lea that even if Roxas wasn’t looking for her, Namine was a witch. Maybe if he found her, she’d help him find Roxas and he figured he was as good as any to make sure she was kept safe. Riku’d left her in his care once before and with good reason. Because no one expected it of him and his big mouth, Lea was good at deception…but he was certainly reaping what Axel had sewn. There was a whole group of people out there that he was certain would kill him if they could. Encountering Xigbar again was a whole mess…Saix was…well…Lea just didn’t even want to think about that anymore.

Here in this world there were rumors of a soft spoken blonde oracle. Lea figured out that that it wasn’t Namine right around the moment that he spotted Roxas…and to his disbelief, Larxene. The lightning bolt connecting with his bud was kinda hard to miss. ”Roxas!” They were too distant to hear him it seemed. What had he gotten himself into? Lea charged forward toward that balcony in the distance. His leaps and his bounds had to be precise, but he was afraid he wasn’t getting close fast enough when he saw Larxene rush toward Roxas. ”No!” He flipped forward from a nearby terrace and landed with a knee on the balcony, his eyes wild on the two of them. ”You alright?” his searching eyes bore into Roxas.

Post by Larxene on Oct 16, 2018 9:44:55 GMT -5

Larxene listened carefully as Roxas spoke about how he hadn't just blindly followed the cloaked being's orders. Though it became clear, even to Roxas, that that is exactly what he had done. He had blindly followed some stranger's comments. Well, that is why Roxas was so valuable to the Organization. They gave him a mission and an order, and the boy simply followed suit. It worked out in the long run for them. He simply did as he was told. So, she could buy that Roxas was that naive and foolish to follow the will of some stranger. It wasn't completely out of character for the nobody. "..and the little light clicks on!" She announced sarcastically with a clap.

Roxas complied rather quickly with her threat of bodily harm if he mentioned seeing her. The boy was smart enough to keep his trap closed. Larxene didn't give out basic empty threats. There was always something sitting behind her comments. Everyone was aware of that. Larxene was slightly angry at herself for listening to Marluxia and not leaving that castle. She should have chased down that clone and broken him all over again. She couldn't have the organization finding out about her being alive. That would put a damper on their plans.

The conversation had moved to Marluxia. Roxas began quickly by explaining about the circumstances that brought him to learn about the man. It was logical to hear that. The woman let out a soft sigh as he continued. Well, that explained it. That seed tended to flair up without warning. So, it would make total sense that Roxas could have learned about it that way. She lowered her arms as she listened to Roxas as he went through the whole list. Even explaining that he had tried to help. That was acceptable. Larxene nodded and folded her arms. She had obviously believed the story. "Yeah, that seed needs to go..." She made a face, rolling her eyes. The nymph leaning back against the railing again. That's when it happened.

That voice...

Larxene had relaxed until she heard the voice and saw the flash of red land directly in front of her. The woman's eyes narrowed on the man that had been the reason for her death. Axel. He needed to pay for his action. Nothing else matter. Not Marluxia's little "Nort" problem. Not locating Namine or Vexen. Nothing. All she wanted to do was tear Axel apart limb by limb. "OH, this has been a long time coming.... I've been looking forward to this..." She didn't care who got in the way. She was already moving quickly toward him and lashing out with two fast slashes, a very Angry Rush it was. She immediately followed up by giving herself some space and throwing a full set of eight kunais where Axel was. She didn't care if Roxas got hit.

Angry Rush- Slashes at the target twice, however she will slash four times and then casts Lightning if she has been hit by five attacks or more. [Cooldown: 2 posts]

Post by tapir on Oct 24, 2018 1:29:00 GMT -5

Theeeen things went straight from dicey to stab-you-to-death and cook the pieces.

Roxas didn’t actually know what’d gone down at Castle Oblivion about two and a half years ago. There’d been some sort of attack or something and all the agents there had died. He’d been so relieved that Lea’d made it out ok that Roxas hadn’t really questioned anything else. That was Lea’s way really. He’d vanish to ‘take care of stuff’ and Roxas would just keep on keeping on. Sure he’d picked up by now that Lea’d dealt with the ugly side, the missions that needed cunning and ice-cold blood. He’d protected Roxas from all that with shrugs and explanations that left out the tough choices. Roxas trusted Lea, had faith he’d do whatever it took to keep those he cared about safe, no matter what. Just sometimes, Lea was a smart dude, maybe too smart sometimes, and those real clever plans and ‘things left out’ kinna had a way of biting them in the ass sometimes.

This was looking to be one of those times…

“Lea heads up!” A roll of the wrists brought Oathkeeper and Oblivion into existence from mid-air, while an overhead discus throwing set them spinning toward Larxene. However the shinobi was too fast, way too fast. Roxas just ending up getting air and kunai to the shoulder for his trouble. “Gah!”

Post by Lea on Nov 15, 2018 20:01:16 GMT -5

Lea was a whole mess of worried eyes and a distracted stance. He tried to whirl away from her rush and he was an excellent dancer but he couldn't hold a candle flame to Larxene's lightning speed. He got out of the way of her rush toward him, those slashes hitting sparking embers in their wake, but his mistake was moving toward Roxas. A set of kunai shot off in his direction and by proxy Roxas' direction too. Well at least Lea was...nope. One of the things hit Roxas as two keyblades went whizzing by toward the blonde psycho.

Lea only register the stinging pain of four stuck kunai in his left arm. She'd nailed him as he was turning around and good gravy did it hurt. Well he couldn't just leave them there. Quickly he began tearing the stupid things out, yelping and pain and letting them clatter to the floor of this balcony terrace thing. Experimentally he lifted that shoulder and sure enough it was searing with pain and he about howled his head off. Glaring at her, Lea's gloved hand moved to cover that forearm. Well his chakrams didn't do much of a dance without the two...but right hand was still good! He flicked his wrist in a circular motion and Chakram whirled in a flaming existence over his fingers. Expertly he continued to spin the thing and the fire roared to life. He hurled it at her. "GET BACK!" he demanded as the Chakram spun viciously toward her and yo yo'd back to his hand snapping his elbow back with its momentum.

Fire Wheel - GET BACK!: (Eternal Flames ONLY) Lea spins his Chakrams forward at the length of his particularly long reach as flame is propelled forward at his enemy dealing heavy fire damage.[Cooldown: 3]

Post by Larxene on Dec 14, 2018 9:31:50 GMT -5

All the nymph could see was red, bother literally and figuratively. It was almost an emotion in her mind, but it was disregarded as quickly as it was thought. The woman had faked emotions so long, she simply presumed that she'd gotten so good at it that she was fooling herself. All she could do was put an end to Axel's pathetic existence and get revenge for the hell he'd put them through. It was HIS fault that their plans had failed. They had trusted him and he'd burned that bridge. He was a traitor and Larxene would be sure to end him for such treason. It was unforgivable. Everything that had happened was his fault. Only his.

Her blades hit their mark, only one straying too far. The blind rage made her a bit more reckless than normal. All she could think about was the satisfaction of ending him and getting to report that back to Marluxia. Plus, she COULDNT let him live. She couldn't let him rat her out that she was alive once more. Roxas she knew would keep his little trap shut. Axel? No. She didn't trust him. He simply needed to die to keep this secret safe.

The sound of the being's voice pulled her from her rage as she noticed the familiar attack coming right for her. It was a shame that she took too long to realize what was happening. Larxene pushed hard against the floor to try and stop her forward motion, pushing back and away from Axel. She brought her arms up in an "X" pattern to shield her face and neck as she felt the heat. It hurt a good bit, but the adrenaline was keeping her going. She pulled her arms down, the sleeve singed a bit as she summoned her weapons back. Roxas was not even in her sights right now. All she wanted was to end Axel's measly existence. "Let's see how you like it!" She growled in response.

The nymph followed through quickly with her Thundaga. That would be QUITE a SHOCKING surprise for the man. She just need to keep a little more distance for the moment. She didn't know how powerful he was at the moment. It was better to be safe than sorry.

Thundaga - Larxene shoots out a line of lightning toward her opponent, however she is not shrouded by lightning. [Cooldown: 3 posts]